Obama, Does It Take Winning A Nobel To Get An Email From You? What #Obamashould Do.

photo: Edo Segal

I just read a great "open letter to President Obama" from Edo Segal, published on the blog Tech Crunch on October 11th.


Edo's letter opens with ...

Mr President,

On the night of your acceptance speech, just before you walked on stage, “you” sent out an email saying “i will be in touch soon”—but you disappeared and all we were left with was the strange feeling you get when your older brother ditches you for his cooler friends. Does it take you winning a Nobel prize to get another direct letter from you?

Where’s the attention? The yes-we-can attitude, making us feel we can be good again? It seems that since you made it to the Oval Office you have been too busy at work, and our relationship has really suffered.

I recall that as the election results where announced, there was an epiphany that hit the pundits and us web folks at the same time. “He’s going to govern this way” we all thought. What we meant was that you will continue the evolution of direct democracy beyond using the Internet for fundraising, heralding a new age of direct access to the citizenry. A new age of democracy where the President has your email and can talk to you directly. An age without intermediaries and pollsters—just us and that cool guy who’s running the country.


Edo provides President Obama with a series of ideas. Visit this website to submit your own (and to vote for your favorites.) I was moved to publish this post not only because I totally hear what Edo is saying in his letter (particularly as a recipient of the Organizing for America emails), but also because I really connect with a line in Edo's idea for Obama #3:

Use your power to promote things that have to do with generosity of spirit, not just hard core policy.

Now that's good advice for anyone - not just President Obama:)